Physiological responses of heat-stressed broilers fed nicarbazin

Two experiments were conducted to determine physiological responses in heat-stressed broilers fed a control diet or one containing 125 ppm Nicarbazin. Male birds were surgically implanted with a carotid catheter and fitted with a chest movement transducer and rectal probe. In Experiment 1, birds were exposed to an abrupt change from thermoneutral (22.5 C, 70% relative humidity [RH]) to heat stress (37 C and 40 to 50% RH) conditions within 10 min and maintained in this environment for 120 min. In Experiment 2, birds were exposed to a gradual change from thermoneutral to heat stress (38 C, 68% RH) conditions over 4 h and maintained in this environment for an additional 1 h. Heart rate (HR), respiration rate (RR), and body temperature (Tb) were monitored throughout each experiment, and arterial samples were obtained for determination of acid-base balance and lactate. Birds fed Nicarbazin had higher (P less than .05) Tb and lower (P less than .05) blood PCO2 and bicarbonate during heat stress than controls in both experiments. Thermal polypnea was observed in both experiments, but, although there were no treatment differences in Experiment 1, RR was lower (P less than .05) in the last hour of heat stress for Nicarbazin-fed birds in Experiment 2. In the second experiment, birds fed Nicarbazin exhibited higher (P less than .05) HR and blood lactate during heat stress than control-fed birds. The results of this study indicate that Nicarbazin, by an as yet unidentified mechanism, increases Tb in heat-stressed birds, which results in greater deviations in blood acid-base balance, blood lactate, and HR than in control-fed birds.